Golden Age Weaponsmiths F-14D Super Tomcat:

Designed to operate from carriers as a fleet defense fighter, the Grumman
F-14 Tomcat is one of the most well known fighters. It was made famous
by the movie "Top Gun." Other than serving in the United States Navy, a
small number of these fighters were sold to Iran. The fighter has variable
sweep wings which are fully extended at slow speeds for better control
and retract into a delta wing configuration for lower drag at high speeds.
The Tomcat was designed to be able to carry up to six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles.
It also had one of the most powerful radars in a fighter when it was introduced
in the early Nineteen-Seventies. A total of about seven hundred F-14 Tomcats
were built. Retired in the early Twenty-First Century due to high maintenance
requirements and replaced by the FA-18E/F Super Hornet, they were carefully
stored in an aircraft bone yard. The planes were thought scrapped but in
reality they were just forgotten.

When Golden Age Weaponsmiths found the huge cache of F-14D Super Tomcats
sitting in a forgotten storage after several centuries and in surprisingly
good condition, they refitted the old fighters and sold the Tomcats. One
of the first buyers was the Coalition States, who was trying to create
an air force at this time. Golden Age Weaponsmiths has also sold numbers
of these fighters to independent governments and mercenary units. Since
the Coalition States has not purchased any more F-14 Tomcats, all sales
of the old fighter have been going to independents. While Golden Age is
considering building fighters based on a Pre-Rifts design, it is highly
unlikely that it will be the F-14 due to requiring huge amounts of maintenance.

The engineers replaced much of the outer skin of the fighter with high
strength composite and alloy armor materials to enable the fighter to survive
the damage of modern air combat. In addition, the airframe had to be rebuilt
and strengthened. Still, these rebuilt fighters are far weaker than a newly
built aircraft would be. The internal 20 mm Vulcan cannon is basically
unchanged but the original rounds have been replaced with special Wellington
Industries Ramjet rounds that greatly increase the damage the gun does.
Using these rounds, the 20 mm cannon inflicts as much damage as most rail
guns.

All of the fighter’s hard points have been refitted to carry the standard
missiles built on Rifts Earth. The F-14 has a total of eight hard points.
There are four hard points between the twin engines and can carry virtually
any ordnance. There are also four hard points on the supports for the wings.
Two of these wing root are limited to medium range missiles or smaller
with the other can carry long range missiles. The hard points have been
refitted so that instead of AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow, or AIM-9 Sidewinder
missiles, the hard points can carry long range missiles or multiple medium
or short range missiles. If the Super Tomcat is loaded down with a full
load of six long range missiles on its main hard points, the F-14D cannot
land until it has lost two long range missiles even if that means just
ditching the missiles.

The General Electric F-110-GE-400 engines were completely rebuilt. They
were also modified to be able to better burn bio-fuels. After the coming
of the Rifts, a large amount of jet fuel is bio-fuel types. For the purpose
of carrier landings, the F-14 mounts a tail hook. The fighter is also specifically
reinforced to be able to be launched from a catapult. Electronics on the
fighter were also reconditioned and in some cases old components were replaced
by more modern equivalents. The radar system is quite powerful but lacks
the flexibility of more advanced radar systems such as active scanned arrays
as was carried on the FA-18E/F Super Hornet.

There was originally a plan for a revised Tomcat design called the Tomcat
21. This aircraft would have been constructed out of all composites, have
a fully fly by wire system flight system, and have more powerful engines.
This aircraft would have had about 90% of the capabilities of the F-22
while being much less expensive to construct. Still, the advanced Tomcat
was never built.

Authors Note: In the author’s opinion, this writeup should be
used in place of the one written in the Coalition Navy Source Book because
the writeup in the book cannot survive any combat and the fighter can be
shot down by a light rifle and many energy pistols in one shot. This writeup,
while not especially powerful in game terms, can survive a little combat.
Also, the writeup in the Coalition Navy Source Book has long range missiles
on the wings in addition to the aircraft carrying six Phoenix missiles.
This created two problems, first is that the weight would be too much for
the aircraft to take off and the wings of the fighter were not designed
to carry ordnance.

As of 2007, the F-14 was retired from United States Navy service will
all fighters shredded to prevent parts from being acquired by Iran for
their F-14 fighters.

Notes:[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash
[2] Destruction of rudders or one elevator will still allow the fighter
to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but the
fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting
rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable
and pilot must eject to survive.
[3] The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighter’s top speed
by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10%
penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft
to crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or pilot can choose to
eject.
[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down
completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.

Speed:Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and
landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when
traveling and not on take off or landing. Has a tail hook for carrier landings
and designed to be catapult launched.
Flying: The Super Tomcat can reach a top speed of Mach 2.3 (1480.9
knots/ 1,705.3 mph / 2,744.5 kph ) on full afterburner (the fighter can
only last a few minutes at that speed and consumes most of the fuel.) Top
speed is reduced by about 10% when fully loaded. The fighter’s normal cruise
is about 420 knots (483.7 mph / 778.4 kph) but varies on the situation.
The fighter has a maximum altitude of 53,000 feet (16,460 meters).
Range: 1,312 nautical miles (1,510.8 miles/2,431.6 kilometers)
with no external ordnance load. The fighter can carry two 280 gallon fuel
tanks (one under each engine) that extend range by about 280 nautical miles
(322.4 miles/518.9 kilometers)for both - carried in pairs. Reduce aircraft's
range by 15% if partially loaded (two long range missiles, four medium
range missile or eight short range missiles, or more) and by 25% if fully
loaded. The F-14D Super Tomcat can be refueled in the air.

One (1) M61A1 20 mm Vulcan Cannon: This is the original Pre-Rifts
cannon mounted in the nose of the fighter. It is the same cannon design
as is carried on the FA-18 Hornet and multiple other United States aircraft.
They have replaced the standard ammo with Wellington Industries developed
mega damage, armor piercing ramjet ammunition which allows the aircraft
to hold it own against other Rifts aircraft. The gun mount is controlled
by the fighter’s pilot.
Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 m).
Mega Damage: 1D6x10 for a burst of 30 round, 2D4 for each round.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of
the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: 660 rounds (22 bursts)

Eight (8) Hard Points: The F-14 Tomcat has a total of 8 hard
points with four of the hard points between the aircraft's engines and
two of the hard points on each of the aircrafts wing roots. The two hard
points are closely grouped together and one can carry much lower payload
that the other. All but the secondary wing support hard points can carry
bombs instead of missiles but the Tomcat was not designed to carry bombs
so there are penalties when using bombs. The hard points were originally
designed to carry one missile each but the hard points have been refitted
to carry two medium range missiles or four short range missiles on each
hard point. The smaller secondary wing root hard points are reduced in
their payload. The aircraft cannot land with six long range missiles being
carried.
Fuselage Hard Points (4): ECM pack or missiles/bombs (one long
range missile /heavy, two medium range/medium, or four short range/light
each). Originally used for Phoenix, AMRAAM, Sparrow, and Sidewinder missiles
but could carry bombs as well.
Primary Wing Root Hard Points (2): ECM pack, towed decoy, or
missiles/bombs (one long range missile /heavy, two medium range/medium,
or four short range/light each). Originally used for Phoenix, AMRAAM, Sparrow,
and Sidewinder missiles but could carry bombs as well.
Secondary Wing Root Hard Points (2): Missiles only (one medium
range missile or two short range missiles each.) These hard points were
originally designed for Sidewinder missiles.

Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point
must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided
bombs can be carried. Missiles, especially long range missiles, are usually
controlled by the weapon officer but can be controlled by the pilot as
well.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile
and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (See
revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See
revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped
one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one
attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of
ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley.)
Payload: Varies by hard point (see above - all ordnance on a
hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance)

Active Jamming Pod: The pod takes place of all ordnance on
the hard point. Causes -25% to detection but when it is active, other vehicles/
bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on
jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons.

Towed Decoys (4): The pod takes place of all ordnance on
the hard point. The aircraft can carry a special pod that carries four
advanced towed decoy drones. These drones are dragged about 328 feet (100
meters) behind the aircraft on a thin cable. Each is a specially designed
radar lure that creates a radar image to mimic the aircraft. If decoys
are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired. Rifts Earth decoy
systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World weapons due to technological
difference.
M.D.C.: 5 each
Effects: The decoy has an 65% chance of fooling ordinary non
military radars and non smart guided missiles, the decoy has a 35% chance
of fooling military level radars (like those of the Coalition), and the
decoy has a 10% chance of fooling advanced military radars (Like those
of the New Navy and Triax) and smart missiles.
Range: Not Applicable although the decoy is deployed 328 feet
(100 meters) from the aircraft
Rate of fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires 15
seconds to deploy (Reel Out) another decoy
Payload: 4 Decoys each pod.

One (1) Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser: Use the same
effects as the TRIAX model. However, each time the system is engaged, the
system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares. Rifts Earth decoy systems are
assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological
difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls
for smart missiles.)
Effect:

Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that
fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee
attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee
rounds.
Payload: 20 chaff, 40 flares. Each time the system is engaged,
the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares.

Special Equipment:The equipment of the fighter has been upgraded but many of the original
systems are still on the fighter. Consider the fighter to carry all standard
equipment that robot vehicles carry (not including loudspeaker and microphone)
plus the following extra systems:

AN/APG-71 Radar: More advanced system than the original AWG-9 System
carried on the F-14A which has a greater range. The fighter can track up
to 24 targets simultaneously and can target and fire on up to ten targets
simultaneously. The weapons officer frees the pilot from controlling the
missiles so he can retain his full attacks. Range: 230.3 miles (200 nautical
miles/ 370.6 kilometers)